Scottish Colourists

This was a collective term applied in retrospect to the work of the four Scottish artists – F. C. B. Cadell, J. D. Fergusson, Leslie Hunter, and S. J. Peploe. Although they never worked together as a group, they were all painting in France between 1900 and 1914 and were greatly influenced by the work of the work of the French artists, in particular, Matisse, Van Gogh, Cezanne, and the Fauves. The term 'Colourists' was not coined until 1950 when it was introduced by T. J. Honeyman in his book Three Scottish Colourists (he omitted the work of Fergusson in his grouping). It was the shared use of vigorous brushwork by the four originating in the Glasgow School, and their similar use of brilliant primary colours stemming from the French influence, that formed the common factor in their work. Although for the most part the four artists worked separately Peploe and Fergusson did work together briefly on two occasions. The artists were all supported and encouraged by the Scottish dealers Aitken & Dott and Alexander Reid. An exhibition of their work was held at the Alexander Galleries in London in 1923, and many of their paintings appeared in an exhibition of Scottish Art at Burlington House in 1934. Their influence on style and palette and in particular the frequent choice of still life as a subject is still apparent in the work of contemporary late 20th and 21st century Scottish artists.